Tales of Seireitei
by Kraven Ergeist
Summary: Another compilation of drabbles. More pairings will arise as more chapters are added. :: HitsuMatsu, IchiTatsu
1. Fire and Ice

**Bleach Fan Fiction**

**Fire and Ice**

By Kraven Ergeist

Captain Hitsugaya had known of his vice-captain's less than reputable habits for almost as long as he had known her. She was of course not the only one among the ranks who enjoyed their drink and lounging and staying up at ungodly hours. And as forgetful as Matsumoto could be, Hitsugaya was honestly proud of how well she balanced her work life and her personal life. And he was relieved that he had managed to remain firmly within the "work life" category thus far.

Imagine the rumors starting should it be otherwise. Matsumoto was a formidable vice-captain and he respected her fully for her capabilities. But under the influence, not even the he could anticipate nor control some of her more surly tendencies.

Besides, beneath the skin, they were both so different. She was blazing, hot as fire. He was frigid, cool as ice. And that was how it was supposed to be.

So why in God's name was he hauling her sorry ass home after finding her half passed out after a casual social event between her and some of the other vice-captains?

She went to these events often, being understandably popular among many of the vice-captains. Even piss drunk, however, she was still enormously powerful, so few had dared to lay a hand on her for fear of being outright castrated.

Why he had even dared poke his head through the door as he passed by the lounge hearing laughter was a mystery even to him. Why had he hung around, even though he hated such gatherings? He made a point to never attend these sorts of ordeals, even among the other captains. It's not that he wasn't old enough – he could have lived another hundred years and still be Shiro-chan to his closest. But he found nothing appealing in diminishing his own senses just for the sake of socializing. He liked his inhibitions as they were, damn it!

So what was he felt when he saw his vice captain, laughing and singing and making an utter ass of herself among colleagues and coworkers? Why did he feel drawn to the scene, when he knew full well the stigma it would entail should he do so? A captain at a vice-captain party was like a Professor showing up at a frat house during homecoming.

So why? Was he jealous of her? Did he envy her ability to slip from her (mostly) serious attitude during work to this utterly carefree persona with the setting of the sun? He had never gone out drinking with any of his friends growing up, and now, it was too late. Not only was he a captain, but he was also the youngest captain. He had a name to protect, and going out drinking (something he had penciled in his mind as juvenile and disreputable) was not something he could afford to be associated with his already juvenile status.

He had put so much effort into distancing himself from that image of immaturity, while Matsumoto almost thrived on it. So, yes, he was jealous! Jealous that should he so much as be near such a stereotype, it would tarnish his standing irreparably, whereas she made a habit of periodically sinking down to an almost whorish level so easily, and then being completely unaffecting by it the morning after.

Well, with the exception of a hefty hangover.

"Captain!" he heard her call out as she noticed him peeking in through the door. "I didn't expect you to be joining us!"

Hitsugaya flinched. Damn her and her complete disregard for his insecurity!

The other vice-captains made a show of straightening up as he made his way to the table. He'd been called in now, it would be considered rude not to join. Now, he had no choice but to sit down, have a drink, and hopefully excuse himself as early as possible.

"So what brings you down here at this hour of the night, Captain?" Matsumoto said. Her voice was flighty as always, and she was completely at ease with her superior's presence, a trait not shared with her fellow cohorts.

"Just passing through actually," Hitsugaya said, not making eye contact. "I should actually be going."

"Nonsense!" Matsumoto exclaimed, her face already red from drink. "You never take any downtime, Captain! Why don't you stay a while?"

The white haired boy kept frowning. "Matsumoto, I really, really don't want to. Now if you'll excuse me…"

He was about to get up when he felt her hand catch his sleeve. He turned down, a look of disgust in his eyes. But almost immediately, his expression fell.

"Shiro…please?"

Hitsugaya felt his mouth go dry. The look on her face was just heart wrenching! She almost looked like she was on the verge of tears. Why was this so important to her!? It was just a night of festivity, why was it so important that he be there? He never had before, why was it so important that he start now?

He didn't know whether or not she was just putting on a mask. Lord knows, she's done it before. But what he did know is that one drink was all it took to make six or seven just disappear.

But the look on her face…

The white haired boy sat back down, a peeved look on his face. "…One drink."

Oddly enough, Toushiro Hitsugaya kept to his limit that night (Though more than one drink had been spilled on his robe. Byakuya would be hearing about his vice-captains lack of caution). Matsumoto on the other hand…

"Honestly…" he groaned, the big woman's arm slung over his shoulder. "Was my being there really such a big event? You should know your own limit, Matsumoto."

The vice captain's response was to drool on his robes.

Hitsugaya sighed.

"Well, this robe's already a lost cause. Might as well ruin it while you can."

He lugged her the short distance to her residence, a spacious accommodation reserved for vice captains. His were larger still, but hers were nicer by far. Though that was mostly her own doing. While Hitsugaya's residence was cluttered with papers and letters and things not done, Matsumoto kept her place very neat and orderly. Here and there, there were paintings and flower arrangements – the general accoutrements signaling a woman's touch. Though the lack of work being taken home was more a sign of her not doing work to begin with, the residence was easy on the eyes.

And speaking of easy on the eyes…

"Shiro…" Matsumoto breathed, still half asleep.

The white haired captain just groaned, making his way through the house. "I wish she wouldn't call me that…"

He'd never been to Matsumoto's residence before. Most of the time, their office, or his residence was where most of their business was conducted. Let's see…door number one…closet. Door number two…kitchen. Door number three…Jeez, Matsumoto could afford to lose a few pounds!

Hitsugaya groaned again. A bathroom. Though it was quite clean. And the bath itself was nice and spacious. It was almost big enough for two. He wondered how comfortable it would be if the two of them…

Moving on.

Finally, they'd reached her room, and Hitsugaya gasped for air after depositing her haphazardly onto her bed. He stood up for a few moments, catching his breath. God, how much did this woman weigh? And how much of that weight was a function of her enormous-

"Captain?" a groggy voice sounded from the body strewn across the bed.

Hitsugaya stood straight. "Good, you're awake. I brought you home. Can you manage from here on out?"

Matsumoto reached for him, her eyes half lidded. "Yeah…Shiro, I…wait…no…bathroom…"

Suddenly, her hand came over her mouth.

Hitsugaya hissed, before grabbing her by the arm and hauling her off to the bathroom they had passed earlier. She dropped to her knees before leaning over and emptying her night's ingestion into the toilet.

Her captain frowned, holding back her hair. "Honestly, how much did you drink? Haven't you built up a tolerance by now?"

The red head retched again, coughing and spattering. "Well…tonight was…a special occasion…"

Hitsugaya sighed. "And what special occasion was that?"

Matsumoto stood up, before rinsing a cloth at the sink, wiping her mouth. Turning and smiling, you'd never guess she had just literally spilled her guts. "It's a secret!"

Hitsugaya glared. "Great. So you drank more than usual for some reason that you're going to keep to herself. This night just keeps getting better and better."

Matsumoto smiled innocently. It amazed him how a woman so well endowed could appear innocent, but she pulled it off. Her duality was a consistent conundrum to the young captain, and no matter how he bent his mind around it, he could never quite figure out his subordinate's ability to just switch identities like she did.

And what made it more infuriating was how it wasn't her behavior that changed, it was how she managed to make you perceive it. The same laugh could sound childish, heartfelt or downright promiscuous, depending on how she felt like affecting you.

It drove him mad.

"Well, if you're all done, I'd like to get some sleep, so if you don't mind, I'll be heading-"

"Sure thing, Captain!" she shouted, vehemently, catching him completely off guard. "See you in the morning! I'm gonna get to bed myself, so…goodnight!"

And then she passed out again, stumbling forward into Hitsugaya, burring his head between her assets.

"Matsumoto!" Hitsugaya shouted. He'd just about had enough of this! He was tempted to just leave her right there on the bathroom floor, propriety be damned! She had better not be faking! Oh, if she was faking, he wouldn't let her hear the end of this! She had done it before!

He let out a sigh. He had already put up with her this far – taking her back to her room would be no skin off his back and it would make a world of difference. She was his vice captain after all, and he needed her in tip top condition. So, with no small amount of grunts, groans and choice swear words, he had managed to get her back to her room, when she suddenly resumed consciousness again.

"Shiro…" she smiled, cutely, before wrapping her arms around him.

"Hey…what the…?" Hitsugaya spoke up, before her weight carried them both crashing onto the futon.

"Shiro…" she groaned again, half asleep, her arms still holding him in a dead lock.

"Matsumoto!" Hitsugaya groaned, angrily. "Would you get off me!?"

She only seemed to be half conscious. Convenient. He wasn't strong enough to break her grip without breaking something else. He thought briefly about using his bankai when suddenly her lips brushed against his ear, and suddenly, Hitsugaya felt like the child everyone saw him as.

"Hey…Matsumoto…" he breathed, uncomfortably. But she had begun chewing on his ear, and she was sighing contently. Was she asleep? Was she dreaming? It had better be a damned good dream, if she was going to make him this uncomfortable! Damn woman! This was not how he imagined his evening going! This was going too far! She was completely out of line with this, inebriation or not!

"Matsumoto…" he leaned forward, groaning into her ear.

"Mmm?" she sighed, half consciously in response.

"You better let go, Matsumoto…"

"Mmm…why?"

"Cause it's late, and I'm trapped underneath you. We're both in your bedroom at night, and you're not in your right mind…"

"Mmm…am I?" her eyes came open, and her smile was devilishly promiscuous. Hitsugaya felt the blood rushing to his face as she leaned in to touch her lips to his. He didn't have time to react as she snuggled him again, still not letting him go.

"You realize I could have you court marshaled for this?" Hitsugaya said, though his mouth was the only one who thought so.

"Mmm…yeah…"

"Matsumoto…" the white haired boy breathed. "I mean it. If you don't let me go right now…I'm not going to want you to later…"

"Is that so…?" Matsumoto smiled, kissing him again.

Hitsugaya didn't know what to do. He knew the rules. This was clearly ignoring them. So why did that suddenly not matter to him? Did she know what she was doing? How conscious had she been? Had she been faking stupor the whole time? Had this been her plan all along? God damn woman. It wouldn't have been the first time.

"Shiro?" he heard her whisper into his ear.

Gods, he wanted to hear her say that again.

"What?"

"…Stay?"

Hitsugaya didn't really have a choice. Matsumoto still had him in a deadlock, her weight pining him down, and the moonlight capturing the delightful bunching of her cleavage as they pressed together against him.

She nuzzled his ear, and his whole body melted.

She was blazing, hot was fire. He was frigid, cool as ice. They were such opposites, the fact that they had been paired together, much less the idea that they could commingle like this…

"Impossible woman…"

That court marshal would just have to wait.


	2. Broken Dreams

**Bleach Fan Fiction**

**Broken Dreams**

By Kraven Ergeist

She found him at the graveyard. Which was odd, because he never went there. In all the years since his mother had died, she knew he'd only ever went there with his father or his sisters. Never by himself. Never this late.

Never crying like this.

Why did he have to keep himself so distant from others? Why did he have to keep pretending he was so strong? Always knitting his brows together like that, one would never think that Kurosaki Ichigo had a sensitive side. But Tatsuki had known him for years. They had been friends ever since they were little kids. She knew the Ichigo who kept his feelings tucked away in a chest locked so tight, not even he knew it was there sometimes.

Ichigo, the only boy she'd ever considered her friend. The only boy who'd ever managed to beat her in a fair fight. The only boy she'd ever say could truly and honestly understand her, listen to her, give her the time of day, without trying to take advantage of her or push her aside because they had to prove their masculinity or whatever.

They were buddies. Pals. They shared everything with each other. They hung out after school, ate lunch with each other. They trusted each other. They depended on each other. That being said, she couldn't, in good conscience, leave Ichigo as she saw him in the dark, mourning over his mother's tomb.

But something stopped her. Something that had been bothering her for a while now. Ichigo had changed over the year. Before, he would randomly get into fights and mouth off to anyone who tried to boss him around. But lately, he'd become more tempered, less aggressive. Still blunt as a sledgehammer, but on much less of a short fuse. Now, he was more pensive, more contemplative, like his brain was making up for lost time.

And what bothered her even more was the way he'd grouped together with Chad, Inoue and Ishida. It wasn't that they sort of formed this clique together – that she understood, and was perfectly fine with. But she kept getting the feeling that they were hiding something from the rest of them, something that they had a secret that they kept to themselves.

Tatsuki trusted Inoue with her heart and soul, and Chad was a decent guy, although she didn't know enough about Ishida to form an opinion. But when confronted, even they couldn't say what had Ichigo so bummed out lately. They're excuses were that he'd just been under a lot of stress at home, that school work was piling up, inane stuff that never used to bother him.

Tatsuki wasn't stupid. She knew all that was a load of crap. Ichigo never got fed up over the little things. If he ever got pissed about something, it was usually important, and Tatsuki was determined to get a straight answer out of him.

But that was the other part of the problem that their little clique presented – they were always together! It was like they'd formed a dead poet's society or something! If they weren't out doing something together, they were each at their respective homes. And although she'd been there many times as a little kid, coming to Ichigo's house at her age might not have given him the right idea.

Of course, she'd thought about asking him out before. She had many times. But he was just such a mystery now that she just wasn't sure anymore. Until she learned what was going on with him, she didn't know _what_ to think.

Even supposing she were to ask him about it, chances were he'd just shrug her off, keeping it to himself. Just like he always did. But his tears - tears that she had never witnessed but in the nights of her forbidden dreams - those could not be overlooked.

"Ichigo…"

He didn't react to her at first. As wrapped up in his thoughts as he was, he might not have even heard her.

"Ichigo…"

She approached him, seeing his eyes squeezed shut. Gingerly, she placed a hand on his shoulder.

It was shaking.

"Ichigo…"

Finally he opened his eyes, and fixed her with a hard stare.

"What is it?"

Tatsuki flinched at his voice. His eyes were so intense, and his voice echoed through her arm, sending chills up and down her spine. She pulled her arm away. Suddenly, she had lost all her previous conviction.

"What…what are you doing here?" she managed.

Ichigo shrugged, glancing down at the gravestone. "Just paying my respects. It's been a while."

Tatsuki cringed, knowing the reaction her comment would bring about.

"I saw you crying…"

Ichigo shook his head, trying to laugh. "You were probably just imagining things, Tatsuki…"

"Ichigo…" she sighed, reaching up to touch his face. "Your cheeks are still wet…"

He reached up and pushed her hands away. "You don't have to worry about it, Tatsuki."

She groaned. She knew he meant well, but saying things like that made it seem like he just didn't take her seriously.

"Ichigo…"

Both of them suddenly noticed that he'd left his hands on her wrists when he'd pushed them away.

"Um…" Ichigo released her, looking away. "What are you doing out this late anyway?"

Tatsuki squeezed her wrists where he'd touched her. "Just…coming home from practice…"

For some reason, her cheeks felt warm.

"Oh…" Ichigo murmured. "Well, maybe I should…you know…walk you home? It's kinda late."

Tatsuki shook her head, laughing. He knew she hated it when he offered to do things like that. "Idiot…"

She flinched suddenly as a raindrop struck her cheek.

Ichigo looked up at the rainy sky. "Would you look at that…" he shrugged off his coat and offered it to Tatsuki. "Last chance."

Tatsuki's hair was starting to get wet, and her bare shoulders under her tank top began shivering.

"Well, if you insist," she said, teeth chattering. She grabbed Ichigo's jacket and threw it over her head, and the two of them darted off down the street.

They reached Tatsuki's house and took shelter under the alcove just outside the door.

"You're soaking wet," Tatsuki observed.

"Kinda happens when it rains," Ichigo shrugged, shaking the water from his hair.

Tatsuki handed him back his jacket, her wet bangs dangling. "You know how much I hate being taken care of, Ichigo."

"I didn't hear you complaining," Ichigo grinned, retrieving his coat. "Besides, _you_ know how much I hate troubling my friends. Just accept it and say thanks already."

Tatsuki wanted to rebuke him, but could find neither the words nor the logic to do so.

So she punched him.

"Thanks a lot."

Ichigo rubbed his shoulder sorely. "Ow! That hurt!"

"It was supposed to," she laughed, reaching up to tussle his soggy orange hair.

"See if I ever offer to do anything nice for you again."

"Don't hold your breath," Tatsuki jeered. "I hate it when you do nice things for me. It's not like you."

Ichigo shouldered his jacket. "Whatever. I just don't get why you can't just smile and be happy for once. You were never one for hugging or kissing or any of that emotional stuff."

Tatsuki just pouted. "And what does _that_ have to do with anything?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Just that you're always so harsh all the time. Would it kill you to just _pretend _to be sensitive? "

Tatsuki threw him a defiant look. "I can be sensitive when I feel like it! Or should I be more like you, Mister Crybaby?"

Ichigo's mouth hung open "I…no, I…"

He stopped stuttering when he saw Tatsuki giggling.

"Oh, Ichigo…" she sighed, wrapping her arms around him possessively. "What am I gonna do with you?"

He let his arms slide around her waist as she grinned up at him. It had never been so obvious to either of them how much taller Ichigo was compared to Tatsuki. Somehow, this didn't seem to bother either of them.

"You're not gonna tell anyone about that, are you?" Ichigo asked sheepishly, deciding it was a lost cause to try to hide the fact.

Tatsuki patted his back, cocking her head smartly. "Your secret's safe with me."

"Thanks…" he grinned, rustling her hair.

She playfully batted his hand away. "Don't thank me yet. I still want an explanation!"

Ichigo just smiled, innocently. "About what?"

Tatsuki tapped his chest with both hands. "About what really went on over summer break. I _know_ something went on!"

Suddenly, Ichigo's expression fell. "You…wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"I'm willing to go on a little faith," Tatsuki winked. "Try me."

Ichigo tried to gulp discreetly, but it was hard to do with Tatsuki leaning against him.

"Um…well…have you ever had the feeling you could see…ghosts?"

One long-winded explanation later, they had migrated indoors, with Tatsuki sitting immobile at the table.

"Holy shit…"

She hadn't believed him until he'd stepped out of his body, and showed her his Shinigami form, which she could just barely see.

"Yeah, that about covers it…" Ichigo sighed. "See why I kept this a secret?"

Tatsuki was just staring blankly at the wall. "This is unreal…I mean…a whole society…filled with the dead…"

"Listen to me, Tatsuki…" Ichigo said, taking her by the shoulders to get her attention. "I wasn't supposed to let this get out, but I'm telling you because you asked and I trust you. I need you to understand, if you started telling everyone, people would think you're crazy."

Tatsuki just shook her head. "All this time, seeing all those spirits walking around…I wasn't imagining it. It was all real."

"Tatsuki!" Ichigo shook her. "Do you hear me?"

She blinked, shaking her head. "I…Ichigo, I…this is all too much to take in…"

"Here, sit down…" Ichigo offered her a chair.

Tatsuki sat and stared at the floor, leaving Ichigo to wonder what he'd gotten himself into.

"So…you and your friends all went to this Soul Society…to save Rukia, right?"

Ichigo nodded. "That's right."

"I see…" Tatsuki frowned. The pieces fell together in her head, and for some reason, she felt sad. She _truly_ didn't understand Ichigo the way she thought she did. And somehow, she'd been clinging to the conception that once he spilled the beans, they might be able to pick things up where they'd left off.

Just as suddenly, that reality had shattered.

"So…Rukia must be really important to you, right?"

Ichigo frowned. "Don't get me wrong - I didn't do it cause I had some stupid crush on her or something. I did it because _I_ was responsible for her getting into trouble. It was _my_ fault. And you know me…I never welch out on my responsibilities."

Tatsuki shook her head. "You idiot…"

Ichigo blinked, confused. "What…?"

Ichigo recoiled suddenly as Tatsuki leapt out of her seat and slammed into him, pounding him with her fists.

"Idiot! You can't keep toying with me like this!"

Ichigo caught her by the wrists. "Whoa! Whoa! Tatsuki, what's the matter?"

Tatsuki was glaring through tears. "Damn it, Ichigo… You're the only guy I've ever been close to! I can never understand you! I can't even understand myself when I'm around you! Do you realize how scary that is!? Do you have any idea what it's like to have everyone expect you to be strong and brave all the time!?"

She was sobbing now, leaning her head against his chest, her whole body quaking. Ichigo let go of her wrists and let his hands come around to her back, holding her warmly.

"Of course I do, Tatsuki…" he breathed. "Why do you think I was crying before? I can't stand how I always feel responsible for everyone, and even when it kills me, I still feel like I have to be strong for them! And it kills me even more every time I let everyone down…"

Tatsuki just shook her head. "God damn it…I never know what to expect with you…"

Ichigo sighed. "Easy there…just take a breath…I know all this is touch to take in…"

"No, not that!" Tatsuki yelped. "This isn't about Soul Society or whatever it is! It's you, Ichigo! I can never get a clear picture of you! Every time I think I've got you figured out, you go and something crazy like this! And it's driving me insane, trying to keep up with you!"

Ichigo frowned. "Then stop _trying_ to keep up. That's why I didn't tell you before, Tatsuki."

She looked up at him with a pained look. "But…but…I _want_ to! I'm not just going to sit back and let you run off and do whatever! I want to go along with you! We always used to do _everything_ together, and now the only people you ever spend time with is Orihime and Chad and Ishida…"

Ichigo had to stop himself from laughing. "It sounds to me like you're jealous."

Tatsuki shoved him hard, and he stumbled against the far wall.

"Sorry, sorry," he said, balancing himself. "I deserved that."

Tatsuki wiped her eyes. "Idiot…"

Ichigo stepped back up to her and patted her back. "Hey, if you wanna hang out more, I'm cool with that. No need to get violent."

Tatsuki flinched. "Is that all you see me as? Some angry, violent girl?"

Ichigo grabbed her by the shoulders. "Tatsuki, you're the angriest, most violent girl I've ever known. It's what I like about you. You've never let anyone push you around. Not even me."

Tatsuki looked away, ashamed. "I wouldn't have to be like that, Ichigo…if you'd just push harder…"

Ichigo smiled. "Alright, then…how's this for pushing harder…?"

All of the sudden, Ichigo had pinned her to the wall, kissing her roughly. Tatsuki responded by seizing him by the shoulders, clinging to him as she devoured his lips, matching him for ferocity.

"I was wondering how long it'd take you to take a hint," Tatsuki growled, clawing at him. "You must be slower than I thought."

"Oh, shut up," Ichigo rebuked, ending the discussion by occupying her lips with his. Her hands came to his hair, grabbing hold as Ichigo's hands pinned her to the wall. For the first time in her life, she felt trapped, helpless, completely overpowered.

And she was loving it!

"Ichigo…" she hissed as they parted for breath.

Ichigo was really the only boy she'd ever really hung out with, ever really trusted, or ever really needed. Mostly because he was the only boy who could ever manage to do this to her, to set her on fire like this, to make her feel so _alive_!

"Hard enough?"

Tatsuki glowered. In a single night, everything she'd ever known had been blown out of proportion. Her every conception had been proven indisputably false. And she had gone from friend to lover with her only guy friend to date.

And she was just getting warmed up.

She grinned. "Harder."


End file.
